CMA webinar on environmental management accounting for corporate sustainability tomorrow

Dr. Anil Jasinghe

Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala

Dr. Nuwan Gunarathne

The Institute of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka (CMA) to celebrate the Earth Day 2021 will conduct a webinar on ‘Environmental Management Accounting for Corporate Sustainability’ on Wednesday, 12 May, from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. via online Zoom platform. 

The theme of Earth Day 2021 is ‘Restore Our Earth’. The climate change and coronavirus pandemic have reminded us of the harm we’ve caused. Thus, we must restore our earth not just because we care about the natural world, but because we live on it. ‘A healthy planet is not an option — it is a necessity’.

The webinar will be inaugurated by Chief Guest Ministry of Environment Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe and the welcome address will be delivered by CMA President Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala. The webinar will be conducted by Dr. Nuwan Gunarathne, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Accounting, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka and a Fellow Member of the CMA Sri Lanka. 

He is a renowned speaker on sustainability, sustainability accounting and reporting, and integrated reporting. He spearheaded the launch of ‘Environmental Management Accounting (EMA) Guidelines for Sri Lankan Enterprises’ with CMA Sri Lanka in 2014. Dr. Gunarathne is also a committee member of the Environmental and Sustainability Management Accounting Network (EMAN) Asia Pacific (AP) and country representative of the Sri Lanka Chapter of EMAN-AP.

Dr. Nuwan Gunarathne’s presentation will cover an emerging body of accounting practices, referred to as ‘Environmental Management Accounting (EMA)’. EMA has become an important decision support tool to implement an environmental strategy in striving for corporate sustainability. However, lack of awareness of EMA tools and techniques among accountants has become a significant barrier to the adoption of EMA. This seminar aims to provide practical knowledge, available tools and guidelines for the participants to adopt EMA in private and not-for-profit sector organisations. 

Dr. Gunarathne will also discuss the key areas on ‘Corporate sustainability’, ‘Physical and monetary EMA systems’, ‘EMA tools and techniques, ‘Corporate environmental strategy development’ and ‘EMA adoption guidelines’.

The webinar will conclude with a question and answer session where participants will also have an opportunity to discuss practical applications and obtain clarifications via chat option. Those who wish to attend are requested to send an e-mail to: [email protected].